Playing for Keeps
by blamethebluebirds
Summary: What if, instead of Commander Shepard, Specialist Traynor was the one who had to carry out Samara's loyalty mission? And, instead of Morinth, our dear Samantha runs into someone else entirely? *Written because we need more Samantha x Liara fiction in our lives. Rated M for future chapters.*
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Bioware owns the playground. I just play in the sandbox._

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**IMPORTANT NOTICE: PLEASE READ: So, before you read this story, I just want to make one thing clear: Liara has not yet joined the Normandy crew in this story. I know that this throws off the Mass Effect story line that we all know and love but this is fanfiction people, so yes, I've altered the timeline to fit my needs. Which means that I don't want to be receiving messages from readers bitching about how this story doesn't make sense because 'Plot A clearly has to come before Plot B in order for Plot C to take place and yada, yada, yada.' Please, just don't do it. Now, with that said, may I present to you...  
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_Playing for Keeps_

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What a lot of people—human and alien alike—don't realize is that life isn't a game of chance.

It's a game of chess.

Knowing this, I've always thought of myself as a bishop or, perhaps, even a knight—not necessarily the strongest or most valuable player on the field, but a formidable piece nevertheless. I've never been so wrong.

Sitting at a bar in one of the Citadel's more seedy nightclubs, I've never felt more like a pawn. No, scratch that. I was less than a measly pawn. I was bait. An insignificant piece moved about on the board for the sole purpose of luring an opponent into making the wrong move. Whether the strategy is successful or not matters little to the bait since, either way, it never turns out good for the piece playing the decoy. Especially if the said decoy is scantily clad in a ridiculously tight number of a dress that even the most shameless Asari maiden would blush to wear.

I shifted uncomfortably on the tall stool, the backs of my bare thighs sticking to lacquered wood. With a grumble, I attempted to tug at the hem of my too-short dress for the umpteenth time and was once again put out to find that the faux leather refused to budge an inch. With a sigh I gave up and resumed pretending to sip from the iridescent drink I ordered purely for the sake of keeping up appearances and tried to forget about the vast amount of skin I was displaying.

A glance at my Omni-tool reminded me that I had been sitting at this bar for almost half an hour now and there had still been no sign of the objective. Evidently, this mission was going to be a lot more complicated than merely shaking my bum around on the dance floor.

To make matters worse, I hadn't the slightest idea what the target looked like. Commander Shepard and the Justicar, Samara, were unable to provide a single, up-to-date hologram image of the Asari I was supposed to ensnare with my 'sexy good looks'.

I snorted rather unattractively at that last thought, causing the Turian beside me to throw me an odd look which I answered with a manic grin. More than likely believing me to be absolutely bonkers, he hurriedly picked up his drink and slinked away. I was quick to continue my earlier train of thought and tried to recall the words I had traded with Shepard and Samara the day before.

-.-.-.-.-

"_Commander, with all due respect sir, I really don't think I'm cut out for this mission," I nervously supplied, pulling at the ends of my hair as was habit._

_Shepard gave me that familiar, easy smile that had taken up an almost permanent residence upon his handsome face. It was the same smile that had led countless marines fearlessly into battle, every one of them ready to die for him without a second thought. "Nonsense. You're perfect."_

"_I agree with Shepard," Samara smoothly intercepted. "Though Morinth has no doubt changed a great deal since the last time I saw her, one thing that has always been a constant is her affinity toward female humans."_

"_I'm sure she has higher standards than just female and human," I blurted quickly, for lack of anything better to say._

"_Well, yes," the Justicar replied, hands folding neatly before her. "She has a penchant towards powerful and violent individuals."_

_I nearly interjected because, let's face it, if there were two things I could never be; it was powerful and violent, but Samara was quick to add, "Both of which are personality traits that can be easily replicated."_

_I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Shepard must have been able to read the jumbled emotions crossing my face. "It'll be okay, Traynor. Samara and I won't be far. As soon as you lead Morinth to a more secure location and press the panic button on your Omni-tool, we'll handle the rest. Morinth won't even know what hit her."_

_-.-.-.-.-_

They went on to explain how Morinth was no ordinary Asari, but an Ardat-Yakshi—an Asari born with a genetic defect which caused them to completely overpower their victim's nervous system during a meld. This led to hemorrhaging in the victim's brain until death. Certainly a painful way to go and I had no intention of leaving this world anytime soon.

I was also warned of how cunning Morinth could be and how she took on many different facades in order to lure in and entice her prey. Nothing she said could be trusted, every word a lie perfectly spun. If I was going to successfully carry out this mission, I'd have to match her every move. Fortunately, I wasn't going into this blind but that was the extent of my advantage.

I broke from my thoughts and surveyed the interior of the nightclub. The majority of the patrons seemed to be Turian and Human and the only Asari I could see were exotic dancers or waitresses. I had just begun to wonder if the intel was wrong after all when I spotted a young Asari standing alone on the far side of the club. The club was too dark and too much smoke hung in the air for me to get a good look at her but I took note of the way she was more conservatively dressed than would be expected for a nightclub of this caliber. Deciding to keep a close eye on her, I slid off the stool and sauntered along the edge of the dance floor. Well, more like stumbled since I was unaccustomed to wearing high heels but I put on a brave face and owned it.

As I got closer, I realized that the potential-Morinth wasn't alone. There was a rather shabby looking bloke leaning into the Asari's personal space and whispering into her ear. The girl (yes, she was definitely young enough to be a maiden) had her head turned as far away from the guy as possible and she looked ready to bolt but the man had effectively trapped her in place with a strategically placed arm against the wall.

I was all prepared to just let the maiden handle the guy herself—after all, if the Asari was indeed Morinth, she could clearly handle herself—when the Asari's eyes began to desperately dart around the club before finally settling on me. Our gazes caught and I found myself getting lost in the bluest eyes I had ever seen. My breath caught short as something inside me either tore loose or locked into place, I wasn't sure.

My brain must have short-circuited for a moment because when it finally decided to come back online, I was already halfway across the club, making a beeline straight for the Asari and her unwanted company. I had just enough time to formulate a haphazard plan before I ducked under the bloke's arm and snaked my arms possessively around the young maiden's waist. I pulled her close, suppressing the shivers that caused, and placed a quick kiss on a freckled cheek.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, love. The loo was chock full of Elcor of all things," I spoke loud enough for the man to clearly hear me over the music pulsating through the club. I pretended to startle as if I had only just become aware of the guy's presence. "Oh, hello. Can I help you with something?"

The oafish bloke seemed startled before his eyes narrowed into slits, eyeing us suspiciously. I tightened my hold on the Asari, pulling her more firmly against me as I met the guy's stare and held it unwaveringly. For a moment, I thought the oaf might actually call me out in a lie and I knew there was no way I could physically tangle with this guy and walk away relatively unharmed. Thankfully, the man must've decided the trouble wasn't worth it and beat a hesitant retreat.

I let loose a long sigh of relief, not even aware I had been holding my breath. Turning my head, I almost knocked noses with the Asari and those blue eyes filled my vision. This close, the Asari's striking features were heartbreakingly beautiful.

With a start, I realized I was still holding the maiden in a tight embrace so I hurriedly put distance between us. "Sorry," I mumbled, mortified that my face began to flush. I hoped it was dark enough in the club that the Asari couldn't see.

The girl seemed to break from some daze as I spoke and rushed to reply, "O-oh! No need to apologize. I am very grateful. For your interference, I mean."

I caught myself pulling at the ends of my hair and stopped the motion abruptly. "Well, interfering is my specialty." What the hell did I just say? "That is, I meant to say, running interface is a big part of my job which involves prohibiting access to default resources and-and I'm just going to stop talking now."

Did I really just word vomit in front of this gorgeous Asari who, for all intents and purposes, could potentially be Morinth? From the wide eyed stare I was receiving from the girl, I must have.

'_Nice going, Sam,' _I mentally chided myself. _'Come off as the complete nerd you are. What happened to powerful and violent, huh?'_

Evidently, those 'easily replicated personality traits' were beyond me.

My mental tirade was interrupted by the girl's melodic voice. "Access is only allowed through well-defined entry points, correct?"

"Exactly! Direct admission to such resources by software can produce disastrous results. The ramifications alone—" My teeth clicked together as my mouth snapped closed and I blinked slowly at the girl. Was I truly talking shop with an attractive Asari who actually understood the words flying from my mouth? Usually, going off on a tangent involving computers was a sure fire way to bore a girl but this young maiden seemed truly interested in what I had to say.

I had half a mind to ask the Asari for her contact info when my Omni-tool chimed a quick tune, effectively reminding me of my purpose here. Commander Shepard had established a failsafe in the plan which involved sending a message to my Omni-tool every forty-five minutes. If I failed to reply, the Commander and Samara would assume something went wrong and converge on my location.

With a quick swipe across the holographic display, I informed Shepard that I was still alive and breathing. With my head back in the game, it was time to determine if this maiden was Morinth. All I needed to do was turn on the charm and appeal to her inner predator and, if all goes according to plan, she'd give herself away.

With that goal in mind, I cast the Asari my most winning smile before shuffling closer. "How about we continue this conversation over a drink? It's on me."

The maiden's eyes grew comically wide at our newfound proximity and I was once again in awe of those captivating baby blues. I ignored my racing heart and sweaty palms as she nodded slowly.

She followed close behind as I led us to one of the few empty booths at the back of the club. I let her slide in first as I flagged down one of the waitresses and ordered the both of us a serrice ice brandy. Once settled, I took notice of the distance between us. The Asari sat daintily on the outermost side of the booth, which also happened to be the side farthest away from me.

I couldn't let this girl lose interest in me. If she was, in fact, the Ardat-Yakshi I was looking for, then I couldn't afford to let her get away. Besides, I could clearly recall Samara mentioning something about Morinth easily losing interest if her prey wasn't…stimulating enough. Well, I could certainly be stimulating.

Putting on what I hoped was a wicked smile, I leaned into the table, making sure the Asari had a perfect view of my cleavage which was straining against the tight confines of my dress. "Don't you want to sit by me?" I asked daringly, almost not recognizing the sound of my own voice. It sounded more...sensual than usual.

I watched, pleased as punch, as the young maiden stammered out a yes before hastily bridging the gap between us. I opened my mouth to compliment the girl's high-neck blouse when I was interrupted by the waitress setting our drinks on the table. The Asari immediately reached out to pick up her drink and take a large sip and that's when I noticed the circular cuff on her wrist. It looked to be one of the newest Omni-tool models but that wasn't the reason it caught my attention. It was the fact that the cuff was located on her right wrist which, in turn, meant she interacted with the Omni-tool's holographic display with her left hand.

It's funny how Humans and Asari are similar in that perspective. Both races were predominately right handed. In fact, a left-handed Asari was said to be even more rare than a left-handed Human.

The maiden next to me was left handed. And, apparently, so was Morinth.

Up until that moment, I didn't truly believe the young girl could actually be Morinth. I mean, sure, I had approached her for that very reason in the first place but that was mostly so I could at least tell Shepard I had tried. The intel that Morinth had been hiding on the Citadel had been pretty sketchy in the first place since there had been no hardcore evidence to go off of, but maybe...

Suddenly, the innocent looking Asari beside me seemed less like a damsel in distress and more like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

I must have been staring at the girl pretty intensely because her cheeks began to flush a light purple and a pink tongue darted out to lick her lips uncertainly. "So, um, you never told me your name."

"Samantha T—" Oh yeah, that's a smart idea. Give the Ardat-Yakshi your real name. I frantically tried to think of a name to give. For reasons beyond me, the first thing to pop into my head was my parent's pet cat. "Ting-Ting," I finished lamely.

I almost expected the girl to call bullshit. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ting-Ting. My name is Liara T'Soni."

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- Blamethebluebirds


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Bioware owns the playground. I just play in the sandbox._

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**Author's Note: Not much to say other than I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. I sure enjoyed writing it. I also want to give a big hug and heartfelt thanks to everyone who favorited and followed this story. I especially want to thank those of you who took the time to review. As a writer, the feedback I receive from reviews is paramount to my betterment. It also happens to be the fuel that keeps me chugging along. **

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_Playing for Keeps_

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_"Samantha T—" Oh yeah, that's a smart idea. Give the Ardat-Yakshi your real name. I frantically tried to think of a name to give. For reasons beyond me, the first thing to pop into my head was my parent's pet cat. "Ting-Ting," I finished lamely._

_I almost expected the girl to call bullshit. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ting-Ting. My name is Liara T'Soni."_

_-.-.-.-.-_

An alias, huh? Now I was even more relieved I hadn't given my real last name. "Please, call me Samantha." I didn't think I could handle being called a cat's name all night.

"Oh! Then I must insist you use my first name as well." Liara, or should I say Morinth, seemed oddly pleased that we were already on first name basis. Those blue eyes practically sparkled.

"Sure," My eyes narrowed, trying to figure out this girl's game. "No problem."

It seemed 'Liara' was determined to play the easily embarrassed, inexperienced young maiden. Fine, I could play her game too. I'd be the most charming and respectful lady that any respectable girl could swoon over.

With a surge of confidence I didn't know I possessed, I placed a hand on the Asari's knee and kept it there. The edge of the sarong-styled skirt she wore tickled at the tips of my fingers. I could both see and feel the girl's leg quiver at the contact. "Tell me about yourself, Mo—Liara."

The Asari began speaking something or other about Protheans. I didn't really bother listening since it was all lies anyways. Instead, I couldn't help but focus on the way those blue eyes lit up from the inside as she rambled on. I was once again slightly startled by their depth and color. They were the type of eyes I could never tire of seeing. What really threw me was how open and, well, _kind _they seemed to be. I had to keep reminding myself that everything about this girl was a ploy—a clever deception put in place so she could lead me to my grave.

I had to look away. It almost hurt to know that they were a scam.

Unfortunately, lowering my gaze wasn't the smartest thing to do since my eyes landed on something even more dangerous.

Her lips.

I stared, transfixed by the softest pair of lips I had ever seen. They had a natural pout to them, the bottom lip only slightly fuller than the top and they were oh so kissable. My heart was sent into a frenzy (why the bloody hell does it keep doing that?)

"—Sorry you probably find this subject matter to be dull. Most do." I was able to catch the tail end of the girl's speech, effectively snapping me out of whatever daze I had been pulled into.

I took notice of the Asari's downcast gaze and could practically hear the mental chastening she was giving herself. I hated the way I immediately rushed to console her. "I don't find it the least bit dull. I admit I don't know much about the Protheans but I find your enthusiasm contagious."

I must have said something right going by the shy smile I was given. My own lips quirked upwards in response.

Damn it! What was I doing? This Asari was a fake—a total sham—and here I am totally falling for this facade. She's an Ardat-Yakshi. She kills people. Innocent, good people who didn't deserve to die in such a horribl—

The angry voice inside my head is immediately silenced as Liara, I mean Morinth, hesitantly moves closer. She's so close, in fact, that the full length of our thighs are firmly touching. My nose is assaulted by the sweet smell of her perfume and I had the sudden urge to caress the knee still under my palm. I pushed the urge down and instead watched the way blue eyes became suddenly too shy to meet my gaze.

"You're very kind," she uttered soft enough that I barely caught the words over the start of the next song pounding through the speakers.

"I'm just honest." As soon as I spoke, the words curdled at the tip of my tongue and left a sour taste in my mouth. Glancing at my companion, I watched as she fidgeted in her seat, her brow creased cutely from our proximity to one another. No, nothing about this was honest.

A hush settled over us as we both ran out of things to say. We both had our eyes fixated on the writhing mass of bodies on the dance floor as I wracked my brain for something to say in order to get the conversation flowing, but I was drawing a blank. The maiden's fidgeting increased the longer the silence stretched and I could see her jaw working from the corner of my eye as she appeared to be struggling to continue our exchange.

"So—"

"U-um—"

The pair of us turned to each other in unison and spoke at the same time. We both started to smile shyly at the other until we took notice of the small gap separating our faces. Alarms immediately started to set off in my head but the rush of blood roaring through my ears easily drowned them out. My mouth went dry and before I could stop myself, I licked my lips. Those blue eyes immediately honed in on the action and followed it intently.

I wasn't sure who was drawing closer but the gap between our lips was steadily closing. It wasn't until I felt our breath mingling and mixing into an addictive cocktail that I realized the dangerous position I was in.

I could see it perfectly—laying claim to those soft lips which had a natural pout to them, the bottom lip only slightly fuller than the top. I would brush my own mouth against them, feather light before pressing more firmly into the kiss until they kissed back just as wet and fervently.

I pulled away as quickly as if I'd been burned, grateful that I had managed to pull away at the last second. I winced as the Asari's eyes fluttered open to reveal confusion and, I dare say, pain at my rejection blooming in their depths. My chest ached from the sight no matter how right I had been in breaking away. I hurried to put the light back in those eyes.

"My lips are chapped!" I exclaimed in a jumble of rushed words. "They're absolutely terrible and I have this thing where I'm always chewing on them, which only makes them worse, and I wouldn't want to kiss lips as chapped as mine so I _know _you wouldn't want to get all up on them since that would just be a horrible experience to put you through."

I finally had to stop to breath and I was once again mortified at the words that managed to spew forth from my mouth. The Asari's eyes looked almost startled at my hurried speech but I was thankful that the hurt had disappeared. "Sorry. Just ignore me when I do that," I said with a grimace. I needed to hurry and say something to dispel this atmosphere so I blurted out, "How about a dance?"

A mental celebration occurred within my head at my momentary brilliance. Dancing equals minimal talking. The celebration is over as quickly as it began. Dancing also equals bodily contact. Dear Lord, no.

"I confess I don't really know how," was the timid reply.

Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound. "All the more reason to dance then."

A small smile curved those kissable lips and I knew I had my answer. Leaving enough credits to cover the drinks and tip, I slowly slid out from the booth. The cool air hugging the back of my legs was a firm reminder of my short dress. Though, the girl seemed to appreciate the view going by the wide-eyed look I caught her giving my backside. Helping her from her seat and ignoring the tightness that formed in my chest as her soft hand slipped into mine, I led us to the dance floor. The pulsing music was much louder there and I expertly weaved us through the multitude of grinding bodies until I found enough space for the two of us to dance. The poor girl looked highly uncomfortable from the way she held one arm in front of her body while the other had her shoulder trapped in a death grip.

After reminding myself again it was all a clever ruse, I coaxed the maiden's arms around the back of my neck then tentatively placed my hands upon her hips. I tried to keep a respectable distance between the two of us for the sake of my sanity but the other patrons converged and pushed in on us as the dance floor became more and more crowded. A body momentarily collided into the Asari from behind and my heart sang as she fell into me. I could clearly feel the length of her front pressing firmly against me. A gasp fell from my lips before I could stifle it and I prayed that the blasting music was able to drown it out.

My body was definitely reacting to the newfound closeness. The combined feeling of an ample chest brushing against me and the tightening of the arms around my neck was leaving me breathless. Those blasted alarms were going off again as a loud voice in my head kept shouting about how I shouldn't be feeling this way. Not about an Ardat-Yakshi, for fuck's sake. She'd be the death of me. Literally!

I fully expected for the maiden to gently extricate herself and put some much needed space between us. Unfortunately, she only seemed to press closer and my traitorous body practically melted at the feel of warm, moist breaths grazing the sensitive area right below my ear. Swallowing thickly, my hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they pulled the Asari's hips close. My brain must have been firing out the wrong synapses because the next thing I know, I'm rolling my hips into the girl and it feels breathtakingly good. A strangled gasp is breathed into my ear and it sends the fine hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I undulate into her again and receive the same welcoming sound.

Suddenly, it felt so hot I could barely think. My head felt weightless and every part of me seemed hyperaware and tuned in on the Asari in my arms. One of my arms snaked up Liara's spine, feeling every ridge through the material of her shirt, as my hand came to rest at the back of her neck, coaxing her impossibly closer. The hair I normally had tucked behind my ears fell forward and the girl immediately buried her face in it. In response, I softly ran the pads of my fingers along the underside of her crests and reveled in the resulted shiver it caused, all the while rocking my hips into Liara in time with the pulsing music.

I felt delirious as lips brushed under my jaw. It was soft and chaste enough to be passed off as an accident but I was desperate for more either way. I wanted to claim those lips until they were properly bruised and all the more delectable. I wanted to see those impossible blue eyes grow dark with lust for me. I wanted to lay bare everything that made Liara who she was and call it beautiful and—and she could never be beautiful.

Liara was a lie.

Liara never even existed.

Reality was like a punch to the gut and a bucket of cold water thrown at my face. I felt my eyes burn in shame that I had let this—this _murderer _get the best of me. I blinked furiously to stop the onslaught of tears.

This needed to end. Now.

I couldn't take much more of this. This was supposed to be a simple mission of luring a murder some place quiet where the Commander could put down another heartless criminal and, in the process, save innocent lives.

My thoughts were interrupted by the feel of a delicate nose brushing briefly against the column of my neck and I felt sick at the way my skin hummed in response.

I attempted to swallow against the thickness of my throat before croaking out, "Would you, maybe, want to go somewhere a little more private?"

And I died a little inside as the Asari nodded her acceptance.

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-Blamethebluebirds


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